Tuesday's letters: Who are you?

Published: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, November 26, 2012 at 5:02 p.m.

To the editor: On Election Day, while serving my three-hour volunteer shift at the Etowah Valley polling place, I noticed a sign that was not there during early voting. It said, “In 2008 Obama won by 14,000 votes in North Carolina — 250,000 Christians did not vote.”

I am offended. It implies that Christians do not vote for a Democratic candidate for president. Well, here is some news — I am a Christian and I voted for President Barack Obama in 2008 and in 2012, and so did a majority of fellow Americans!

Furthermore, let it be known that as a patriotic American, I believe in free speech — but this sign gave no indication of who sponsored it. What are you ashamed of? Who are you?

Come out, come out, whoever you are. Don’t be afraid. This is America.

Jim White

Etowah

‘Marketing fluff’

To the editor: It is time for the Flat Rock Playhouse management to come forward with a realistic financial plan demonstrating good stewardship of the funds it seeks if it expects to garner significant support from our community. We all live with a budget. Unbridled artistic spending is unacceptable!

I agree we should support the fine arts, but that support has to be earned. It is not an entitlement!

Vague plans, ”guesstimates” and outdated financial information demonstrate arrogance and unwillingness to be truthful to the support it seeks!

Has anybody considered that the “artistic perspective” is not being accepted? How naïve does it think this community is? This community is not that dumb!

We continue to hear numerous grandiose plans and ideas as to how the playhouse is going to do “this” or “that.” Nothing with bona fide budgetary details!

As a credit manager with significant lending authority in my former career, I heard numerous marketing schemes that had a lot of “marketing fluff” and lacked realistic financial planning — many times with lots of “swag.” That’s all we have heard from the playhouse!

John McChesney

Flat Rock

Verbal combat

To the editor: “Maybe peace would have broken out with a different kind of White House, one less committed to waging a perpetual campaign — a White House that would see a 51-48 victory as a call to humility and compromise rather than an irrefutable mandate.” The quote is from 2004; the author: Barack Obama, junior senator from Illinois. The book: “The Audacity of Hope.”

Our recent election has raised significant issues:

(1) Exit polls indicated a “distrust” of the Republican Party? Why? We hear that the “brand has been damaged.”

I have a thought: The reason we have a two-party system is to offer the voter distinct choices. Republicans enjoy being “an echo” and not a choice. Why vote for a cheap imitation (Republicans) when you can vote for the real thing (Democrats)?

(2) Fight back. Politics is verbal combat. Mitt Romney played “pass prevent defense”; he hoped to run out the clock. Obama “doubled down” on his attacks.

(3) About 40 percent of the nation doesn’t vote. Why? They see no difference in the choices.

(4) Recent “spending plans” talk about “taxes and cuts” over 10 years. A complete scam. We do not have 10 years to act.

<p>To the editor: On Election Day, while serving my three-hour volunteer shift at the Etowah Valley polling place, I noticed a sign that was not there during early voting. It said, In 2008 Obama won by 14,000 votes in North Carolina  250,000 Christians did not vote.</p><p>I am offended. It implies that Christians do not vote for a Democratic candidate for president. Well, here is some news  I am a Christian and I voted for President Barack Obama in 2008 and in 2012, and so did a majority of fellow Americans!</p><p>Furthermore, let it be known that as a patriotic American, I believe in free speech  but this sign gave no indication of who sponsored it. What are you ashamed of? Who are you?</p><p>Come out, come out, whoever you are. Don’t be afraid. This is America.</p><p><em>Jim White</em></p><p><em>Etowah</em></p><h3>Marketing fluff’</h3>
<p>To the editor: It is time for the Flat Rock Playhouse management to come forward with a realistic financial plan demonstrating good stewardship of the funds it seeks if it expects to garner significant support from our community. We all live with a budget. Unbridled artistic spending is unacceptable!</p><p>I agree we should support the fine arts, but that support has to be earned. It is not an entitlement!</p><p>Vague plans, guesstimates and outdated financial information demonstrate arrogance and unwillingness to be truthful to the support it seeks!</p><p>Has anybody considered that the artistic perspective is not being accepted? How naïve does it think this community is? This community is not that dumb!</p><p>We continue to hear numerous grandiose plans and ideas as to how the playhouse is going to do this or that. Nothing with bona fide budgetary details!</p><p>As a credit manager with significant lending authority in my former career, I heard numerous marketing schemes that had a lot of marketing fluff and lacked realistic financial planning  many times with lots of swag. That’s all we have heard from the playhouse!</p><p><em>John McChesney</em></p><p><em>Flat Rock</em></p><h3>Verbal combat</h3>
<p>To the editor: Maybe peace would have broken out with a different kind of White House, one less committed to waging a perpetual campaign  a White House that would see a 51-48 victory as a call to humility and compromise rather than an irrefutable mandate. The quote is from 2004; the author: Barack Obama, junior senator from Illinois. The book: The Audacity of Hope.</p><p>Our recent election has raised significant issues:</p><p>(1) Exit polls indicated a distrust of the Republican Party? Why? We hear that the brand has been damaged.</p><p>I have a thought: The reason we have a two-party system is to offer the voter distinct choices. Republicans enjoy being an echo and not a choice. Why vote for a cheap imitation (Republicans) when you can vote for the real thing (Democrats)?</p><p>(2) Fight back. Politics is verbal combat. Mitt Romney played pass prevent defense; he hoped to run out the clock. Obama doubled down on his attacks.</p><p>(3) About 40 percent of the nation doesn’t vote. Why? They see no difference in the choices.</p><p>(4) Recent spending plans talk about taxes and cuts over 10 years. A complete scam. We do not have 10 years to act.</p><p><em>Jim Griffin</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p>